Black Magic - Ciel Phantomhive x Death the Kid
by FosterTheWriting
Summary: black mag·ic /ˈˌblak ˈˌmajik/ noun the forbidden witchcraft in which conducts feelings from its victim; the magic of controlling emotion. Due to the Treaty of Life made by Lord Death and the witch society in 1640, Black Magic is forbidden on Earth. Anyone caught with it will be sentenced to banishment or in some cases; death.
1. Chapter 1

**black mag·ic**

 _/ˈˌblak ˈˌmajik/_

 _noun_

 _the forbidden witchcraft in which conducts feelings from its victim; the magic of controlling emotion._

Due to the Treaty of Life made by Lord Death and the witch society in 1640, Black Magic is forbidden on Earth. Anyone caught with it will be sentenced to banishment or in some cases; death.

"Lord Death, it's a pleasure to see you once again."

The deadly sweet voice radiated from the mirror. The eldest reaper stared down at the other party with a bitter taste in his throat. His best ally, Ciel Phantomhive, was contacting him due to a particular "issue" that has been surfacing in Great Britain. He only ever reached Death City if Lord Death himself inticed conversation or something was wrong. The destained look on his face showed that he wasn't in the mood for any messing around if he ever had the heart to take a joke. He had Lady Elizabeth on his left side, the two linked arms. Lord Death knew of the demonic activity at the Phantomhive Estate, which made them one of the best partners. His nobility status also deemed greatness.

"The pleasure is all mine," the goofy tone responded. "Now, what is it that you've contacted me for? You don't call just to chat."

A charming chuckle erupted from the Earl, a smile that only a few knew was false. Lord Death wasn't in those few. "You know my intentions well, I assume?"

"It's 2018, Phantomhive. I've had time to run the track. Now, answer my question, or would you like to sit down for some tea?"

The snarky remark just enhanced the Earl's grin. "As badly as I would like to keep this short, this topic needs more of an explanation than expected." The smirk quickly changed into a look of thought. Lord Death assumed that the Earl of Phantomhive was inventing ways to make this as short as he possibly could. After a moment of silence, it was broken. "A 'Kishin' is what you call them, correct?"

"It took all that time for you to ask such a simple question?" Death teased, Ciel not taking lightly to it. Before there could be a comeback to his statement, he followed up. "Yes, that is correct. A Kishin is what it is called."

"What is the difference between a demon and a Kishin again? It seems that I keep forgetting."

That bittersweet change came back again. It was implied that Ciel wanted this for something else than the reason he was enticing for. However, Lord Death saw no harm in answering a simple question. "The two are mixed up quite often," he started. "A demon makes a contract with the other party, and if the contract is followed, that will make the soul consumption completely legal. Though, if the demon were to break its contract or go on a soul hunting spree, they would be considered a Kishin, or a Kishin Egg. It all depends on how many souls have been collected. Demons make contracts while Kishins take without consent."

Ciel nodded. "It seems that a Kishin has found its way around Great Britain. The Queen has ordered me to track it down and execute it; however, Sebastian and I have little to no experience with Kishins- as you know. It isn't often when I need your help, Death. I don't think my demands are too much."

"It isn't often when you admit to needing help, either." He could tell that Ciel was refusing the urge to roll his eyes at the remark. What he didn't understand was why Ciel was being so nice to him. There had been times where Lord Death has seen his snarky and not-so-nice side. He either really does need the help or there is another motive. Taking that into thought, he decided to trust his beloved ally. It wouldn't be an alliance if he didn't give him the help needed, now would it? "Of course, you would be providing food, shelter, and hospitality for my students, correct?"

"Have I ever not met that demand?" was his response. He had a point, there had never been a time where he had even a complaint about the Phantomhive Manor. Ciel treated his students with respect, that was something he appreciated.

Lord Death shook his head. "That wasn't what I was implying, Phantomhive. I am just seeking assurance that our agreement has not changed."

"I wouldn't ever let you down." That statement hidden with promise was enough to assure the reaper. Ciel really did know how to do business.

Death was now the one nodding at the statement, already coming up with a list of compatible students for the task. His original thought was Maka Albarn and her weapon, Soul Evans. That thought was changed until another part of the story was brought to his attention.

"I suggest you bring a Weapon-Meister pair that knows what they're doing. Sebastian and I have done research, and we are certain there is a witch puppeting this Kishin."

The reaper cocked his head to a side. "What would make you say that?"

A sign of tension left the Earl, his mistress lightly gripping his arm for reassurance. Both of them had almost forgotten that she was there. When Ciel told her to be quiet at his meetings, she listened. "There have been traces of Black Magic left behind." A scoff left Lord Death. "We assume that it was used for luring victims to their demise. Though, we are not sure what to do with these samples, nor how the magic itself works."

"Black Magic, you say?" Death turned away, his hand going under his mask in thought. "Whoever is behind this must be trying to upset both I and the Witching Society. Black Magic is something that has been banned, even the recipe itself was forbidden from being transferred." Soul and Maka definitely couldn't handle such magic. Both of them already had issues with each other that needed to be worked out. Kid was brought to mind. He was strong-willed and could take the case on his shoulders, but Death wasn't a fan of having his son so far away. Though, this could be a chance to see if his son was immune to the magic and to see how much he's grown ever since his last bigger mission.

"But what is it?" Ciel questioned.

"Black Magic is the magic of emotion. It would be used for multiple occasions, each of them being sick in their own ways. The last person who had their hands on it used it for such purposes, causing the Eight Leagues and Witching Society to come together and ban it forever. The witches weren't happy about the change, which is why I see your assumption to be correct. Many witches come to mind when I think of Black Magic."

The explanation had Ciel compelled. The magic of emotion? Well, they did always say that love was a chemical reaction in the brain. Seeing that Lord Death wouldn't be able to tell him how it affected someone's system, he would just pester Sebastian about it later on. "Would any of your students be able to handle such magic?"

Lord Death forced himself to nod. "My son, yes."

"A son?" Ciel asked in shock. "I have never been informed of you having a son."

The reaper smiled with pride under his mask. "Yes, his name is Death The Kid. He is at the prime age of eighteen. He and his weapons would be able to help you solve the case, I'm sure of it. He is an intelligent boy, you know."

How could this reaper spawn be eighteen and Ciel not know about him until now? He was almost irritated. "When will they arrive?"

"I'll contact you when they're on their flight."

A charming smile returned to the Earl's face. "Thank you, Death. I appreciate the help."

Now, it was time to inform his beloved son the mission he was voluntelling him to do. Once heard the door open, the eldest reaper cringed. This would be the first time Kid would be so far away. This would be the first time Kid would be dealing with such a difficult mission. His biggest fear was that his son wasn't immune to this magic as he thought. If Kiddo weren't immune, he would be just as susceptible to death. He didn't even want to imagine the last thing his poor son would see if that were to happen.

"Father? You paged me?" the light baritone voice asked from behind him. He didn't even need to look, he could sense that his weapons were with him. Death had always loved Liz and Patty. They were such good influences on Kid, they teach him how to live life like a rational human being. Only Death knew about Kid's insecurities about being different.

"Yes, I did." Forcing himself to turn around, he faced his son with the undying pride he always had. "I have a big task for you and your weapons."

Kid shifted on his feet. "A big task, you say?"

His excitement was evident, even if he tried his best not to show it. He loved it whenever Death gave him big tasks or missions. It showed that he trusted Kid and that he was one step closer to claiming the Death Throne. Liz's hand went on his left shoulder to keep him still.

Death nodded, "I know that it's been a while since you've had a bigger mission. I've taken notice of how many missions you've been taking at a time from the board, so I've found something that will keep your attention for a while."

"Thank God," Liz chimed it, already feeling the light glare Kid was giving her. "Going from mission to mission is exhausting."

Lord Death chucked at that, "yes, I know. I've raised an overachiever." The tease caused Liz to scoff and giggle under her breath. "However, this isn't your ordinary mission. This is something much different if you care to stick around and listen."

Kid was intrigued. He has only heard of Black Magic a couple of times, never did he know it was such an issue. He just thought that it was banned due to a disagreement between the Eight Leagues and the Witching Society, never would he have thought it was due to the magic itself being so traumatic. "Interesting. It was said by Lord Phantomhive that the Kishin has contact with such magic?"

"That's what he just said," Liz sassed.

"She is really not having it with you today, Kiddo," Death responded, finding amusement in Liz constantly calling him out. Patty wasn't listening at all. Instead, they entertained her with a coloring book so that she wouldn't interrupt Death every two minutes. "Yes. A witch is suspected to be conducting this Kishin, whether they need to use the magic or not. Once you find the perpetrator, you need to report back to me. I wasn't fibbing when I said there would be harsh punishments for whoever contained it."

The young reaper nodded, showing that he understood. "Of course, I wouldn't hide that from you. Is there anything else that I need to know?"

There was a small silence. The only thing that could be heard was the scrape of a crayon scribbling onto paper. Kid's face paled a bit. Was he in trouble? Was there something his father knew about? He didn't pull these silences unless he was in thought or thinking about telling Kid something that he may be in trouble for. "Father?"

"Stay away from the Queen's Spider." The eldest reaper's voice was dark, a tone that Kid didn't hear often. It was giving the impression that there would be punishment if Kid didn't listen. "He is an evil soul that the DWMA has been trying to get for years. Stay away from him, he's bad news. He may seem kind and nice; however, you wouldn't want to know what happens behind those closed doors."

The pale on Kid's face soon flooded back with color. "Spider? I am aware that the Queen has names for her comrades, but I've never heard of the Spider."

"He goes by the name of Alois Trancy. That's all you need to know."

"Creepy," Liz chimed in once again. "Sounds like someone I wouldn't even want to look at the wrong way."

Death nodded once again. "You're correct, Liz. However, Phantomhive should do a good job keeping all of you away from him. He isn't a fan of Trancy, either. If there is something both of us share, it's our hatred towards him."

"Sebastian," Ciel demanded from his study. The Earl sat straight on his chair, paperwork being scattered on his desk. Each of them was stamped with a stamp that could only come from one person; the Queen. There was one letter from Lord Death, though, he hasn't had the time to read it. At this point, he assumed it was the reaper trying to communicate since Ciel didn't talk to him often.

The butler knocked twice before entering the room, bowing to his young master once he had made it inside. "Yes, my lord?"

"How does this 'Black Magic' work on a human being?" he asked, crossing one leg over the other. "Death was speaking about it but failed to inform me of how it works on someone to make them so sick in the head. You will have to take his place in giving me this information. I'm sure you know at least something about it."

Rising from his bow, the butler in black stood straighter. It was 2018, and Ciel had barely adapted to it. He had to change his wardrobe over the years to match whatever style was going on, and boy, he wasn't a fan of this generation. He did keep some things from his age, some coats and shoes that he wouldn't give up wearing. He had just gotten a cell phone and barely knew how to use it, nor did he care to. It usually just sat on the dresser in his room, Ciel not bothering to give it any attention unless needed. "Black Magic is the concoction made by the witches to manipulate people into their trickery," he started, having Ciel's full attention as he spoke. "There are different forms of the spell. It affects the brain directly, making it more powerful than it would if it affected the heart. I will take the feeling of love as an example. Love is a chemical reaction in the brain. Black Magic can conduct that reaction to form a love for the person that has cast it. Witches would use it on humans so that they would adore them enough to do anything they said, giving Death no other choice but to ban it. It caused a conflict between the Eight Leagues and the Witching Society. Once the witches surrendered, the Treaty of Life was born to ban it. It was the treaty that ended all wars."

A grin appeared on the Earl's face. It was a grin of thought about what the witches would make their victims do for the old man to start a war. Lord Death wasn't easily displeased. However, he used to be a very different man than he was now. He has learned the art of patience and understanding. It could be assumed that he learned that from his son. The idea of Death having a son was still something Ciel couldn't quite wrap his mind around. Did Death even know how to take care of babies? It looks like he'll find out as soon as the brat arrives.

"It sounds like magic of manipulation, then. The idea itself is quite interesting. I'm surprised that Alois didn't nab on it when he had the chance." Alois' death was a weight lifted off of his shoulders. Ever since the day he died, Ciel had felt relief. The Earl thought he was strict on his servants until he saw what the Spider has done to his own.

"You and I, we're the same.."

Sebastian gave him a slight nod, showing that he was following the conversation. "Yes, indeed. However, Lord Death was quite serious when he had explained the punishments for containing such magic. I don't care for grim reapers, nor witches."

Ciel noted the new information. "I assume that this one carries innocence, being the youngest heir. Eighteen years old, I was told. With how jolly Lord Death is, I'm sure he was spoiled as a young boy."

"It is no good to assume, my lord," Sebastian scolded. "After these years of proper teachings, sometimes it seems as if you've learned nothing."

The bluenet rolled his eyes at the comment. "This soul will be interesting, Sebastian. I wonder if he can truly feel emotion. If he is as smart as the old man gives him credit for, then the Prince of Death stay out of my way."

The butler shook his head at the arrogant comment. Sebastian knew about this son, he knew a hell of a lot more than Ciel did. He was a half-human, half-reaper hybrid until he matured to take his father's place. It wasn't like Sebastian kept up on Death's personal life, but the news was impressive when it came. "Young Master, the help would be terrific for you. It has been a while since you've had a business partner." Feeling the glare from the Trancy reference, the butler smirked. "And, I don't think Death The Kid will just step out of the way while you try and do all of the work by yourself. He is an expert on Kishins, experienced in the knowledge that we have not even scraped the surface of. You may like him more than you let on."

"You're quite chatty today, Sebastian," Ciel pointed out. Where he got all of this information on was beyond him, but there are many possibilities. Looking back down at his papers, the young lord tried to get back to the task at hand. "Do you think the Queen will assign him a place?"

The question was taken into thought. Sebastian was aware that the Queen and Lord Death did have a good bond, though, he wasn't sure if it was enough for the Queen to bend and give Kid a place under her wing. "Perhaps. It wouldn't be likely since his time here is temporary. If he does, that will give you another reason to treat him with the utmost respect. You wouldn't want the public to start gossiping."

As correct as his butler was, Ciel would never admit it. He hated whenever the public started to gossip and question what he did, which was frequently lately. The Earl didn't understand why they didn't have faith in their Watchdog like they used to. Nevertheless, he was quite popular with the females, many of them writing how he should disband his engagement with Lady Elizabeth.

"Make sure their rooms are ready, we don't have much time before they arrive," Ciel demanded, the butler bowing.

"Yes, my lord."

As he left, the door closed to leave Ciel in solitude. A sigh left his lips, his posture faltering into a slouch. Sebastian was right; he needed someone like Kid now more than anything. This was something he could only admit to himself. Though, with the public endorsement from somebody like the young reaper, Ciel could rise in popularity once again. Reputation was necessary, no, status was everything. He needed to make his arrival warm and welcome.

A party came to mind. It would be a bit suspicious that the Earl of Phantomhive was having a gathering in such short notice, but he was going to do whatever it took to keep his reputation up and puppet this reaper like a show he's never performed before.

This was it. This was the beginning of Kid's Arc.


	2. Chapter 2

A banquet was held to welcome the Prince of Death. It wasn't like that was Ciel's plan. However, Elizabeth deemed it the most "proper" and "warm" welcome. The Earl was sure that there were other intentions behind that but didn't ask questions. It was pointless to argue with his mistress when she was so determined about something; it was something he could no longer control. He hoped that they weren't dressed too trashy. What a shame it would be if the people saw Ciel working with such idiots! He would be looked down upon, even if it was the Queen's and Death's orders! It was time for the perfect boy to show how perfect he actually was.

The Queen, of course, took Kid under her wing, just like she did with Ciel. Since this was the son of Death, there was no way that the Queen could treat this as a standard business partner; more like an old friend. The reaper would be named just as Ciel, Alois, and the Queen's other associates were. Curiosity sparked Ciel's veins about how this situation would be treated. There were letters explicitly sent to the reaper sitting on his dresser for Ciel to give him upon arrival. Not even the Earl was allowed to peek at these messages, no matter how much he wanted to. It was up to Kid whether or not he wanted to share whatever the ink on the transparent paper contained. Giving information these days is like taking a swig of the drink you left unattended and expecting it not to be drugged. This generation was quite despicable. If this boy were to be like any of these brats, Ciel would need to straighten him up real quick.

Right now, he was standing in the middle of a crowded airport next to his faithful butler, Sebastian. The butler was holding a sign that clearly said "Death The Kid" on it, so if the reaper were to miss it, they were inevitably doomed. There was an unattended banquet being held at the mansion, and it was waiting for their host; the guest of honor. If Ciel knew it would take the plane this long to land, he would've come later.

The gray walls around him started to drive him crazy. Crowds of people were walking out of the flight room to get their things, none of them in which stood out to the very detailed description Lord Death had given him. The Earl was wearing quite a shady outfit, an outfit he would never _ever_ be seen wearing out in public. The only reason why he let Sebastian convince him was that he didn't want to deal with the public stopping him and trying to take photos with him. Every damn time he was to go out on his free time, somebody had to stop him and either try to speak to him or take photos. Sure, the fame would lighten any soul, though, Ciel didn't care for the constant attention. He tends to get irritated. Agitation behind a kind smile became a new expression that dug into the creases of his face, deception being the most beautiful trait he could have had.

The cool outfit was black jeans and a black jacket. Another thing that Ciel despised about this generation was the fashion. Oh, dear, God! What has happened to the world of fashion? Ciel wouldn't ever be caught dead following any trend that appeared these days. Others followed his silent protest, but only because they admired him so.

He was pulled from his thoughts when he found exactly who he was looking for. A tall male dressed in a black suit made his way through the crowd. His hair was stained with three white lines of sanzu on the left side of his hair. It sort of looked like ink to the naked eye. His golden eyes could be seen from a mile away, the distinct feature is the most significant feature on his face. The angles of his eyes were so sharp that they could be used in a math problem. Ciel couldn't make out that much of him, but he could tell that the reaper's skin was almost gray in color. His tall, slim figure would make any girl swoon. It then occurred to him that he was holding a girl's hand.

The said girl had short blonde hair with eyes just as big as Ciel's. She was dressed in a red crop top with black stripes, a white tie dangling from her neck. Ciel could tell that she was also wearing jean shorts that went up to her mid-thigh. That wouldn't do. If this girl was associated with Kid, she was showing too much skin to be attending a formal banquet! It was like a punch in the gut when Ciel realized that there wasn't only two, but there were three. He didn't know how many people he was expecting, but could only hope to whatever God there was that they were respectful and had an appetite.

It took them a bit to find them, Ciel nor Sebastian making an effort actually to guide them in their direction. It was quite amusing to see them run around and scan people for a sign that had any sort of name on them. Each of their faces carried relief when Ciel was finally found. The boy who the Earl assumed was Death's spawn smiled kindly. "Hello there." His voice sounded calm and collected. Ciel had no idea why, but it reminded him of chocolate syrup. Perhaps he compared the thickness to how low Kid's voice was. "You must be the Earl of Phantomhive?"

The bluenet nodded, sticking his hand out to shake. "The one and only." Kid cautiously took his hand, giving it a good shake. It wasn't like Ciel was surprised at the grip, though, it showed that Death's child was truly growing into a fine young man. "Though, you can just refer to me as 'Ciel.' Saying 'Earl of Phantomhive' all the time would just exhaust your young mouth, wouldn't it?"

The reaper froze up for a couple of seconds. That couple of seconds seemed like an eternity. Never would he have guessed that a British accent would sound so sweet. Ciel's voice reminded him of puffy frosting on a cake. How it flowed so lightly like air. Kid broke the ice by nodding. "Surely. My full name is 'Death The Kid,' though, my close ones refer to me as just 'Kid.'"

The two males were now looking at Liz and Patty. Only a dumb person wouldn't understand that it was their turn to introduce themselves. Liz shyly stepped forward. "Um, I'm Liz."

"PATTY~"

Ciel cringed at the scream, Patty giggling as a result. Kid rolled his eyes at the giggling girl, retaking her hand. It was a complete shock to all four of them (including Sebastian) when Ciel kneeled and kissed the two girl's hands. "It's always polite to bow to a lady."

If there was one thing that Death has taught his son, it's that beginning sweetness never stays. His suspicion skyrocketed as the Earl rose. It wasn't every day that there was an Earl at your feet. Patty was in a giggling fit while Liz's face was bright pink in blush. Kid didn't like these games already. There was no way that he would let Ciel flirt with either of them. Perhaps it was just an instinct, but the action itself irritated the hell out of the Shinigami. Deciding to change the topic entirely, he looked up at the butler dressed in black. "We never had a chance to hear about you. You are?"

The said butler chuckled lightly, bowing to the three. "Forgive me. It was quite rude of me to forget to introduce myself. I thought you would like to speak to the young master before getting to me." He looked back up at them as he returned from his bow, a kind smile spreading on his lips. "My name is Sebastian Michaelis, and I am the head butler of the Phantomhive Estate. I am here to provide you three with the greatest hospitality known in Great Britain. The Phantomhive Estate is known for its great hospitality."

He spoke with such pride lacing his tone. That pride eased Kid up a bit, nodding to show his understanding. "It's a pleasure to meet you all."

Ciel smirked. "Trust me, Kid. The pleasure is all ours."

The introduction was excellent and all, though, the only thing Kid could think about was how sly Ciel was. It was something that he couldn't get out of his head. Kid himself was quite deceiving, but he was sure that this boy held a lot more than he ever could. His gaze was glued outside the window of the limo he was in. The girls were babbling about something beside him, apparently more excited than he was. It was Ciel's voice that forced him away from his complexed thoughts.

"A banquet is being held at the manor to welcome you three. I hope you all carry a good appetite." Kid could tell just by the way his voice dragged at the end that he wasn't done. Was there a catch? "Though, I mean to come off as nicely as possible, Liz and Patty need to change."

Liz's good mood came down real quick. "Why?"

Ciel sighed lightly, "I wouldn't ask you to change for any other reason. The banquet being held is supposed to be a bit more.. formal. The Queen may attend, and I'm not sure what she would think about your outfits."

Kid was the one to speak up this time around. Sitting up straighter in his seat, his sharp eyes quickly shot to them. "Of course!" he exclaimed, a bit shocked that he would forget that. "I'm terribly sorry, I meant to get them spare sets of clothing. This is their casual wear. I didn't think it would cause harm." He looked over at the two females, a look of embarrassment on his face. Not necessarily humiliated, but just flustered. "I did pack you two a formal set of clothing if we were asked to see the Queen-"

"So, you went through our bags?" Liz interrupted. She had that look on her face that she always gave Kid when he unintentionally did something wrong.

"Yes," he replied, that dumbfounded look in his eye. Ciel could've laughed. "Is there a problem with that?"

Liz rolled her eyes with a smile on her face. "Let's just say if I were any other girl, your ass would've been handed to you."

Patty laughed at that comment. "You tell him, big sis!"

Ciel nodded. He didn't mind the chaos much. Actually, he liked to see friends interact with each other. Though, it made him a bit blue himself. It wasn't like he had many friends to talk to or any at all in that matter. "I see that we're on the same page?" When the three nodded at him, Ciel went on, his gaze on Kid. "Is that your significant other?" he asked, motioning to Patty.

The three exchanged looks before Liz and Patty both burst out laughing, Kid covering his mouth as he chuckled. The Earl looked puzzled at the action. It wasn't until all three of them calmed down before a statement was made.

Shaking his head, the reaper followed the question. "No. What made you think that?"

Ciel was hesitant about answering the question yet decided that he needed to. Nobody liked to be laughed at. He felt like a fool for the asking. "You were holding her hand in the airport. Isn't that what couples do?"

"You've got it all wrong!" Liz exclaimed, still on her laughing spree. "Kid holds her hand because Patty likes to wander off a lot. It's either that or a leash at this point."

"Wrong, wrong, wrong!" Patty followed.

"I see." It was just starting to hit him that Patty had the mentality of a child, which was why the question came off as stupid. Just by the way she was acting right now, he wasn't even sure if she knew what the term "love" truly meant. It wasn't like he could really give her shit for that.

Ciel himself didn't know what the term "love" truly meant.

Ciel didn't have time to show Kid the letter; he was more focused on the girls getting dressed for the banquet. Once they were fully clothed, it was like a sprint down to the dining room. They were already late, (or what Liz refers to as "fashionably late") which was something that already ticked Ciel off. Liz and Patty were dressed in matching maroon dresses, one with gold trimming around the neck (Liz's) while the other one had silver (Patty's). Each of them had sparkles spread along it that matched their accenting color. Of course, Kid made them wear heels that matched that accenting color so that the outfit matched. It was quickly thrown together, but Ciel had to admit that he was impressed.

They were now seated at the table, the three rookies looking around the room. They were sitting across from what Ciel recognized as the Queen's executives. As much as he could understand that the room (and the manor) was a lot to take in for them, there was no time to waste. Conversations started quickly.

"So, you're the notorious Death The Kid?" one asked. The male that was asking looked a bit on the older side, his ink-black hair starting to stain gray. The wrinkles on his face were prominent, showing that he's been around for a few decades longer than Kid or his weapons have. His voice was quite bold; Kid didn't like it.

Kid nodded, "Yes. It is very nice to meet you."

The banquet was served as a buffet, everybody taking as they pleased before sitting down for discussion. It may not seem like the most formal way to have a debate such as this one. However, Ciel thought it would be the easiest way to have everyone sit down and shut up. "Our guest has not had time to open his letter, what a shame," Ciel butted in. "This is our Angel of Death."

Letter? Kid wasn't informed of a letter. While giving Ciel a curious look, he agreed. "Yes, what a shame."

The table consisted of two executives, the Watchdog, Kid, Liz, Patty, and the Spider. It wasn't to Kid's knowledge that the Spider had accompanied the meeting. Ciel was aware of Death's rule and how he would need to keep the reaper out of that God awful web of lies and misery. He made sure that he was the one seated next to Kid.

"He's even more handsome in person!" Alois chirped, the reaper piping up slightly. Golden eyes skimmed the other male, the blonde being quite handsome. The other Earl had platinum blonde hair parted to the right and ice blue eyes that looked quite deceiving. This boy already gave Kid a watchful aura. "This is _the_ Death The Kid? How wonderful. I thought that Death would be too attached to his son to let him leave."

Ciel tsked, "You shouldn't be the one to underestimate."

Kid had no time to answer to his compliment, so he sat idly. If he were true to himself, he would admit that he was a bit nervous. This was the first big meeting that he's attended! That was shameful for a reaper boy!

The executive gave the two boys a glare, the bickering quickly quitting. "The Queen would hate to know that you two are _still_ not getting along, wouldn't she?" He straightened up the papers in front of him. "As you three know, there is a disease found in every victim's body, a disease that we deem the Black Plague. However, this new plague is something that cannot be cured by old methods. We assume that this is how the Kishin is killing their victims."

The Shinigami nodded with the statement. "This mission is quite different than the ones I am usually assigned. I will do anything I can to make sure that this Kishin is taken care of in any way seen fit."

Though it seemed like the executive was no longer listening to Kid, but his focus is elsewhere. He was looking directly at Liz who had just gotten her second plate of food. "Is that your second plate? Isn't that a little too much for a lady? Perhaps you should put that away."

Liz's face soon flushed with humiliation, her hand going over her face to cover it. The moment Kid saw, it was like his heart shattered. His heart fell to his stomach in guilt. "Excuse me?" he asked, his voice growing more confident and bold. "Is that how you speak to a lady? Your mother should be disappointed."

The table had a moment of silence to take in such a remark. Nobody expected the son of Death to have such a mouth on him. Alois soon broke the silence with a wicked laugh. "So, he has a mouth, too?! The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, does it?"

Liz was drowning in embarrassment at this point. Her red face was covered with her hands, anyone could have assumed that she was crying. She didn't quite know that when she came here that she would be watched for everything that she would do, even if it was just grabbing the second plate. While Liz kept her face covered in a cowardly way, Kid faced the man with a glare of confidence; still expecting an apology. The eldest Thompson sister internally begged him to drop it.

With the help of a glare from Ciel, the man dropped it. "You're right, excuse my rudeness. It's just that it isn't decent for women to have a second plate."

"You are excused," the reaper responded, finally releasing the tenseness in his figure. "Women are not for you to dominate. They are human beings and should be respected as that. Your mother didn't carry you for nine months just to hear that bitterness come out of your mouth, did she?" The truth was, Kid was never this bitter towards anybody. He was usually the one who was calm and collected. Though, nobody would disrespect one of his girls like that without hearing him preach. Twirling his fork in his hand, he finished off his little lesson. "Respect is not a privilege, it is a right."

Patty didn't necessarily comprehend what had all just happened, yet she was clapping anyway. "Go, Kiddo! You tell 'em!" The cheering only fueled Kid's fire.

It seemed as if he had been silent for too long because Alois was _dying_ to get his word in. "Death's son is quite impressive, Ciel. Take good care of him." He sent a daring smirk to Kid who automatically caught on to the insane wavelength. "And if the Watchdog doesn't take care of you, feel free to stay in _my_ manor. It would be a pleasure to have a handsome man like you as my guest."

Just because Kid had caught onto the dark energy does not mean he wouldn't roll with it. "I'll keep that in mind," he responded, using that same deceiving tone in his voice. Ciel looked at both of them, not caring for this one bit.

"Don't forget where you stand," he retaliated towards Alois. He could see that this reaper boy could be the epitome of deception and perfection, which only intrigued him further. He was no longer curious about the Death boy, but he now had his full attention. As he was trying to figure out how Kid's mind worked, it suddenly dawned on him that Elizabeth, the girl who pushed this to be a banquet, didn't even show up. How bothersome.

Little did the three boys know, the meeting ended as soon as Kid made his second statement.

He had made the executive too uncomfortable to speak.


	3. Chapter 3

Calls to home were always important, especially to Kid. The reaper felt guilty that he hasn't had the time to make one recently, so he made sure that he could today. After pushing the door closed with his hip and locking it behind him, Kid opened went through his suitcase to find the phone he barely knew how to use and was bombarded with messages from his friends to give him some update. He didn't understand why they were messaging him, Liz was the one who was always on her phone. He swiped them away and opened Skype so he could call his beloved BlackStar.

Each of the teens had received a cell phone as a gift from Death. Everybody was excited. However, Kid could care less. He wasn't too fond of cell phones nor social media. Usually, BlackStar and Liz were on his cellphone posting on his Snapchat and other social media. After pressing the little phone button next to BlackStar's name, the reaper patiently waited for it to ring with the camera at an unflattering angle.

It only took two rings for the assassin to pick up. Kid was usually greeted with a dumb smile, but the lack of that set up a red flag. "Hello, BlackStar," he spoke softly, a small, genuine smile spread on his lips. Kid's smiles were never giant, nor did they come as often as they should. This lead to a worrisome Liz continually asking him if he was depressed and if he needed help. In a way, Kid could call himself sad. Though everybody had their inner demons, the young reaper hasn't quite faced his head-on yet.

"Hey, Kiddo." His voice was smooth, not as energetic as usual. Another red flag. BlackStar almost seemed.. bored. "How's it hangin'?"

"It's 'hanging' just fine." He would've used finger quotes, but he would've dropped his phone and shattered it. Everybody around him had an iPhone since it was a big trend around Death City. However, Kid preferred a Samsung. Not only for its more symmetrical appearance, but it also had much better technical qualities, which made it the much better choice. "I had a meeting with the Queen's executives the other day. They were quite rude towards Liz; I needed to speak to them a little harsher than what I had originally intended." His words came off a bit bitter as he recollected the memory.

"How's that boy you're with?" BlackStar questioned. The reaper was fully aware that BlackStar was not happy with this mission whatsoever. Perhaps it was the fact that Kid was so far away, or maybe it was the fact that he was doing this with another boy his age. After continually promising purity, the young shinigami found himself exhausted.

"Oh, Ciel? He seems quite kind for somebody with his title." After the mention of Ciel's name, the butler had his ear pressed to the door and was currently listening in on a private conversation. If Kid bad-mouthed the Phantomhive name, well, there would be consequences. "I was expecting him to be cynical after all of his years of experience. He's been quite patient with us. It was amusing how he thought Patty and I were a couple."

The assassin perked up to that. "Seriously? Did he think about that? Does he not know that you have a boyfriend or something?"

Kid's brows furrowed. "I never thought that was important enough to tell him." The way he worded that sounded ruder than intended.

"So me being your boyfriend isn't important?" The question sent a stinging sensation to Kid's heart. That wasn't what he meant at all. He shook his head and opened his mouth to speak, but BlackStar was already one step ahead of him. "Well, I guess I'm not important enough for you to talk to, either!"

"No, BlackStar. That wasn't what I meant at all." Now, Ciel was also against the door and listening to his butler. The action was quite risky. Kid could use his Soul Perception and catch him in a second if his guard was high enough. "You're taking my words out of context. What I meant was that-"

"Do you think you being gone like this all the time makes me feel good?" BlackStar asked, his eyes falling on a gloomy look. "You keep choosing to leave a star like me behind, and I have no way to talk to you anymore."

Kid felt his heart drop. "What are you implying?"

"What do you think I'm implying?"

A sudden bolt of anger struck the reaper with force, and it was difficult not to act upon it. "I cannot control the missions I go on." His voice was low, almost dark. It would kill him if he yelled at him for something like this. "And I cannot control the decision you make. If you feel as if being with me has become a burden, then please act upon it so you can be happy once again." BlackStar's face dropped. "However, do not be blaming me for things I cannot control nor can you. That is childish and petty. I had tried telling you this when we first confessed our mutual feelings. You are a free soul, and I am not. I am chained to Earth while you are traveling in space. Perhaps, you would be happier with someone who was more like yourself."

He was expecting to hear it from BlackStar. He was waiting for screaming or something from him. When surprised by the answer "yeah, maybe," he knew for sure that this relationship had ended. It was like a flower that had lost its last petal or a heart monitor that had just flatlined. A weight was lifted from his chest, but it wasn't a right kind of lift.

"Goodbye, BlackStar."

Now, Kid would learn the hard lesson that Ciel has ears everywhere.

Nothing was ever private in the Phantomhive Manor.

 _Rule 1: We have ears everywhere._

The breakup between the two young souls was almost sad for Ciel. As Sebastian added the fishing touches for lunch, the Earl sat patiently at the head of the table. The daylight peeked perfectly into the room causing the wooden doorways to shine and the white tablecloth to show its purity. "We're missing a centerpiece." Ciel suddenly spoke, glaring at the center of the table. "Everything that is presented, I despise. I expect a bit more out of you when it comes to things like this, Sebastian."

"I'm sorry, young master," the butler apologized. "Perhaps the reason why you despise the centerpieces is the fact that centerpieces are meant to be the crest of the family, the crest of the Phantomhive name. Centerpieces are meant to have meaning and everything presented has little or no meaning to you."

Ciel took that into thought. Sebastian was most likely correct, yet that didn't mean the Earl would admit that right away. It seemed that everything had lacked meaning every day he decided to stay on Earth. "Hm, that is a possibility." He admitted, resting his head on his hand. "Isn't it time to invite the guests to lunch? I wouldn't want them to see a dead body on an empty stomach."

The butler chuckled at the response. "You are correct; I will get them shortly. First, you must remove your elbows from the table. It's common courtesy, young master. It is a natural sign of disrespect that cannot be seen in a manor as worthy as yours."

After rolling his eyes, Ciel obliged and removed his elbows from the table. He had only spent days with these three and found them each fascinating. Perhaps it was the lack of human contact. Liz reminded him of an older sister even to Kid who was not related. Patty was the epitome of innocence while Kid was indeed elegant. He wouldn't claim it now, but this may be a good batch of kids, possibly the best batch Death had ever sent.

The three came downstairs almost quietly. The older two were silent, but Patty was humming a tune that Ciel couldn't decipher. As they sat down, the Earl couldn't help but be amused by the lack of life the reaper had. He was calm and collected. However, Kid was bitter towards everything that had happened. "You three aren't as chatty as I remember," he claimed in a bored tone. "Homesick already?"

"Almost," Liz responded, scrolling through her phone. "I'm completely fine, but Kid over there hasn't said a word to me all day." The reaper didn't even flinch when his name was said. "Kinda makes me think he's mad at me for some reason."

Ciel had forgotten how amusing teenagers were. "Perhaps he went through a bit of heartbreak that he doesn't care to share."

The reaper arched in his seat. "How do _you_ know that?"

The Earl shrugged while taking a bit of his dish, using his free hand to point to his ear without another word escaping about the situation- at least out of his mouth.

"Did BlackStar dump you?" Liz asked, her tone full of sympathy. Great, now they had an audience. "Are you kidding me? Fuck him, man. Are you okay?"

"I'm quite alright, Liz," the shinigami assured. His tone deceived the sister into believing the false words that spilled from his mouth. The poor reaper was shocked and confused. He was innocent and didn't quite understand the complexity of relationships yet. Ciel did love stirring the pot. "That is the least of my concerns right now. All I would like to know is why Phantomhive has that hideous eyepatch. It hides any true beauty that could lie in his facial features."

Ciel's eye widened slightly, a bit surprised at what just came out of Kid's mouth. "Excuse me?" he asked, a bit offended by the comment. "First, you designate me by my surname just like your father, which is incredibly rude if not spoken in business terms. Not to mention how unclassy it is to be on your phone at the table. You three have a lot to learn about being noble."

"Young master," Sebastian warned. Nobody realized he was listening in from the kitchen until he spoke. This warning was for Ciel to behave around his guests. However, the young master ignored it.

"Have you never educated yourself on the art of symmetry?" Kid questioned, looking astonished that Ciel would even question him. As Liz facepalmed, the reaper dived into a deep discussion. "Since your eyepatch covers only your right eye, leaving your left bare, it makes you completely asymmetrical. It is truly disgusting; I am going to have to ask you to take it off. It has been bothering me since I've arrived."

The Earl froze, his face giving away that he was utterly shocked. "Symmetry, you say?" he was genuinely curious as to what had brought this up. He was aware that Kid was a perfectionist based on how he had arranged his room, though, he wasn't expecting this. "What importance does symmetry have in your lifetime? What could it possibly do to benefit how one lives?"

Kid gasped. "You are uneducated, Phantomhive!" Patty started laughing, repeating the word "uneducated." The reaper looked like he was absolutely off his head bonkers. "Symmetry is the foundation of life! Perhaps, you can think about it this way. There is a line drawn that separates the pure from insanity, the good from the bad. If this balance is altered, the world will fall into chaos. This world is not entirely pure, nor is it complete malice. This line that was drawn ages ago has created a natural balance that I will not allow to be altered under my rule. Once I am the head Shinigami, this world will be fully symmetrical and balanced."

Ciel's eye was twitching. This kid undoubtedly was a dreamer. "How could you talk about the art of symmetry when you are not even symmetrical?" The Earl's voice was soft yet firm, knowing that if he were to raise his voice at his guests that there would be consequences. "Young reaper, you must think about the obstacles that stand in your way, those three lines of sanzu for example."

Now, Kid was the one that was frozen. Liz's face was still in her hands as the reaper started running his own through his hair. Tears welled up in the eighteen-year old's eyes because he couldn't help but cry. He was once again reminded that he was asymmetrical, which meant that he had no power to conquer his dream. That sudden weight on his back broke his heart every single time it returned. "You're right!" he suddenly yelled. It was mere seconds before he was on the floor. "I'm garbage, asymmetrical garbage!"

Was it cruel to laugh at somebody else's misery? Because Ciel was laughing. This laugh wasn't something that you would typically hear from a "thirteen-year-old." Everybody in the room could listen to how wicked and seductive it was and why it wasn't shown often. The three had already classified Ciel as a bland demon, though, this gave him a new light. If Liz wasn't scared of him before, she was now.

As the reaper had his tantrum, his weapons went down to aid him immediately. Liz was dying of embarrassment while Patty was just loathing in it. "Come on, Kid," Liz spoke softly. "You aren't garbage. Think about it; you're a big grim reaper that will take Death's place one day. That isn't garbage to me."

"Yeah!" Patty chimed in. "Garbage smells like ew! And, you aren't ew!" She plugged her nose to prove her point further.

That seemed to be enough to convince the reaper. Ciel couldn't believe it; the girls were pros at this. It was almost like they've dealt with this all the time. All he could do was watch with amusement. Sure, he would be scolded by Sebastian later. However, that wasn't on his mind right about now.

"You think that?" he asked. As soon as the girls nodded, he stood and dusted himself off before returning to the table, the girls following. "Excuse my little... outburst," he apologized. If Ciel wasn't astonished before, he was now. How Kid could return to the table without any shame, continuing to be so calm and collected after his fit. He still couldn't wrap his head around why he fretted over something so idiotic. Childhood trauma? This was not just a case of OCD. That was the reason why Ciel doesn't allow Sebastian to touch his teeth when they become wobbly. The fact that the demon ripped his tooth out still irked him to a core. After settling on the fact that it had to be trauma, he dropped the subject entirely. The smirk was wiped off his face, and it turned into a more dark aura. "You are excused," he began. "There is something I need to speak to you about. The 'meeting' that we attended, the executive that we had seen wants nothing to do with us anymore due to your behavior." There was a small pause, and Ciel sensed that somebody was about to speak. Before they could, he quickly overrode them. "However, it isn't your fault, Death. I agreed with everything you had to preach. The Queen needed to rid of that man anyway."

"He was angry with me?" the reaper questioned. "Was I too blunt? I've been told that I have an issue with that-"

"You do," Liz interrupted, earning a glare from both Ciel and Kid.

"And, another murder took place last night. We are expected to view the crime scene and try to inspect any element of death." After witnessing the disgusted look on Liz's face, the Earl just decided then and there not to bring her. He wouldn't want a breakdown in the middle of a crime scene. "Since the police department is deciding to be snotty, we do not have the identity of the victim quite yet. I'm not sure what is holding up the process. They are either waiting for me to arrive or just deciding to keep it to themselves." Ciel pushed his plate away, his gaze averting to Kid. He pulled an envelope out of the inner pocket of his jacket. "The Queen also ordered me to give you this." He flipped it to reveal the royal stamp on the other side. "Do not lose this. She ordered even me to not look at it, so it must be specific to your needs and-or tastes." Ciel stood up and walked around the table before handing Kid the white envelope. The shinigami took it with caution while keeping eye contact with the Earl. He was tempted to open it, though, it would be rude to open it at the table.

The reaper glanced over at Liz. "I assume you two are not attending?" he questioned, motioning to the Thompson sisters. Liz nodded her head in agreement while Patty tried to testify. As good as Patty was with these types of things, Kid knew this would terrify her and wouldn't want to lay that burden upon his small-minded weapon.

"I don't do bodies," Liz reminded. The shinigami knew this very well. Liz would cover her eyes or turn away. However, hiding one sense doesn't defeat them all. "You know that, Kid."

The reaper nodded, disregarding the sass in the last statement. Kid nodded towards Ciel, and the two set off.

All the limo ride was small talk. The two didn't conversate much unless there was a particular subject that they wanted to go on about. The envelope Ciel had given Kid just about an hour before was now being opened, and the reaper was trying to read it privately without being rude about the seclusion. The Earl was curious and wondered if Kid would at least give him an indicator of what it was about. "Is that the letter from the Queen?" he questioned. A nod. "Is there anything specific she speaks about that I need to know of?"

"I thought this was a private letter." Kid's voice was monotone, and his eyes didn't even flinch off of the paper.

Ciel dropped the subject entirely. He didn't need Death's son to tattle to his father or the Queen about the Earl's suspicions. As he looked out of the window, Ciel decided that he would have Sebastian take it for him. There were no secrets in the Phantomhive household.

 _Rule 2: No secrets. They will be found._

Once they arrived at the scene, Sebastian helped them each out of the limousine. Kid was a bit resistant to the help which caused both Ciel and Sebastian both to raise a brow. No guest was ever immune to such a thing. Both of them shrugged it off, Ciel deeming Kid a bit more independent than what he had initially thought. Yellow and black tape barred the scene, police cars all around with their lights flashing. It was in broad daylight, the sun blazing the smell of death. Of course, Kid has seen a dead body but never had he smelled it so fresh. The reaper took a moment to look at the sky, noticing their sun to look a bit... ugly. "Your sun doesn't have a face?" he asked Ciel. The Earl gave him a look.

"A face?"

"Yes, a face."

"I think you're off your head bonkers."

Ciel casually lifted up the tape and walked into the crime scene. The shinigami knew there was an officer nearby and wasn't in the mood to be yelled at, so he watched the Earl go. Kid placed his hand on the tape, feeling as if this itself was failing the victim by staying back here. Young Death didn't want to be on bad terms with the officers nor did he want to miss out on an opportunity such as this. This seeing itself could surface the evidence they need to track this Kishin or witch. After a couple of moments of standing around, he looked around to see if anybody was looking in his particular direction. Sure, he would understand why Ciel was allowed back there, though, Kid didn't know if they would let him see the body for whatever reason. This was his first business mission, so he was a bit naive.

The reaper didn't know if Ciel knew he was still back here or if he even cared to get him. After mustering up the courage, he stepped under the tape and was immediately seen by an officer. As Kid watched him walk over, he cringed to prepare for his lecture.

"What are you doing back here?" the officer pestered. He was about a foot taller than Kid and took advantage of that by towering over him. Kid couldn't complain, he was blocking the bright sun that he couldn't stand at the moment. "This is a _crime scene_ and civilians aren't allowed here."

A smooth voice was heard behind Kid. "He's with me." The now frustrated shinigami looked back to see Ciel holding up a card of identification. "We will take it from here. Thank you for waiting for us."

The tall officer immediately backed off. "Earl Phantomhive, I-I apologize." Ciel nodded in acknowledgment and Kid couldn't help but be confused as the officer walked away. Now that he wasn't so standoff-ish, he could finally see what the officer even looked like. It wasn't' like Kid was planning on saying anything to him, but as he walked away, he could see the chopped up dark hair and the limp in his left leg. His blue uniform looked a bit faded in the bright light.

"I was wondering when you would come with me," Ciel muttered as he started to walk towards the body. Kid was silent as it came into view. His heart immediately sunk into his chest. This was a young girl that he would assume that was maybe a late teenager. There was no blood or injuries, only an unclear death. "Gut-wrenching, isn't it?"

The reaper nodded, cautiously inching his way over to the corpse. "Have they all been young girls?" he quietly questioned while reaching out to touch her.

Ciel slapped his hand away and pulled him back. "You really are bonkers!" he scolded. "You cannot just touch her! She is most likely infected!" His eyes were almost popping out of his head as if Kid had done something that only stupid people would do. "If you were to die under my care, your father would have my head!

Kid flinched at the yelling. It wasn't that he was scared of it, it was just something that he didn't expect. Perhaps that was a stupid choice of him, and he deserved it. "I'm sorry," he mumbled while distancing himself. It was an unspoken rule to himself to be quiet around the dead. Kid assumed that he was taught that when he was young, though, sometimes it seemed as if he learned that lesson by himself. "Is there any way I can touch her? I would like to examine her body. Are we in danger of getting infected by standing here?"

"Only when they're alive," Ciel responded while looking at the sky. "She isn't breathing, so she cannot transfer the disease by air. However, if you touch her, I'm sure you'll catch something. It's best to keep your distance." The Earl's cool character was back. He was now calm and collected as if he didn't just freak out on Kid just a moment ago. "That's what makes this case so frustrating. We cannot find an immunity to this disease, which makes it harder to investigate. I do hope your father was right when he claimed that you would be good for me. Not even Sebastian can recall a reason for such a disaster."

As Ciel went on, he managed to get quieter with every word. It was like he didn't want Kid to hear that he needed his help. The young reaper took that to heart and right then vowed to do anything he could to defeat this supposable Kishin.

Anything he could.

 _To My Shinigami,_

 _Death The Kid, it has been a pleasure doing business with your father. He has always been a man of his word, and I hope he is correct to say that you are the key to this case. Death claimed that you were in high knowledge of Kishins, something we have lacked throughout our years. I know my Guard Dog can be quite stubborn and may lack compassion, but I promise you that he will act as a proper business partner to your advantage._

 _You may have noticed how my colleagues go under specific names, Sir Phantomhive being my Guard Dog and Sir Trancy being my Spider. If I'm taking you under my wing, I must give you a name as well. The public would be terrified if they knew your authentic identity. However, this name will not help with that. They may be scared enough to judge a book by its cover, but the faithful followers will have confidence in their Queen and will know that she's doing what is best for her subjects. Some will even doubt your existence and call you a phony. Public reputation is vital as you will learn, but the citizens can be quite a prude. I do not doubt that my Guard Dog will do anything and everything in his power to make sure you abide by the rules while having a wonderful time in Great Britain._

 _If anything goes wrong, do not hesitate to contact your father or me if needed. I will not deny you the right to a proper dismissal if you cannot handle the plate you've been handed. The health and moral of Great Britain and all of Europe is relying on you; please do not let us down._

 _With Honor,_

 _Queen Elizabeth II_

Ciel quietly set the letter back on Kid's dresser and studied the tuckered out reaper. His eyes then averted to the stamp on the message that certified that it came from Her Majesty herself. The Queen's Reaper? What a gloomy name for a grim boy.


	4. Chapter 4

"Are you sure you're okay?" Liz once again questioned. The two were sitting outside in the garden because she would not leave Kid alone about the whole situation. "I know how much you liked BlackStar and I'm still not sure why he did it. I've been texting him nonstop, and he only gets pissed off at me. I think he knows that he fucked up." As she started to get her phone out to show the reaper proof, Kid stopped her while shaking his head.

"You cannot alter his decision, and I wouldn't want you to. That isn't what this is about." The garden was beautiful. However, something was missing. After learning about Kid's perfectionist trait, Ciel forced Sebastian to make it so that the shinigami couldn't complain. "Sure, I put my heart into BlackStar to do what he pleased with it. He opened my eyes to how humans valued love. They say that love is a chemical imbalance in your brain, and I fully believe that. BlackStar had me bewitched. I'm not going to let anybody take advantage of me like that ever again."

The first part of that little speech was beautiful for expressing feelings. If there was something, Liz valued, it was how close her and Kid were. They would share these things with each other without any worry or regret. Liz was the first one out of Kid's friends he came out to when he concluded that he liked both sexes. She welcomed him with open arms. But, the last bit of the speech worried Liz. "Bewitched?" she asked quietly while looking over at him. Kid's gaze was dead on the red and black roses in front of him. "No, that wasn't what it was. You were in love, and that proves you're human just like the rest of us. BlackStar didn't 'bewitch' you," she explained using hand quotes. The day was starting to turn to dusk, a cherry sunset taking place behind them. Kid and Liz were facing the new night, the sky slowly becoming darker and darker blue. If you looked carefully, small stars were starting to come into view. "BlackStar was just kind of a prick at times. I love BlackStar and everything, but you do deserve better than that. You two were a good pair, he just-"

"Took advantage of that." Kid finished. He was getting the wrong idea. "Liz, I know how humans can be with this gentle of a thing. Humans continuously take advantage of each other and everything they can. Don't act as if you're blind." Intimidating golden eyes suddenly turned to his now shocked weapon. "I knew this from the start. I thought BlackStar was different. It's all becoming clear." Kid was assuming BlackStar was irate at him for the lack of affection he had for him. He couldn't blame him. Just like how he had put it before, the assassin was just more free than him. "As pure as his intentions were, his mind is made up. This breakup was a good lesson. I shouldn't trust something as immature as a human with my heart. It's impossible and unrealistic."

Liz didn't know what to do. Kid was over here preaching something that made no sense, and she couldn't help it. If there was something Kid lacked in, it was understanding humans and their feelings. Even though he was half human, he still couldn't quite wrap his head around some things. "A good lesson? You can't base it off of that!" she exclaimed. "It's like you forget that you have friends that are humans, friends that you consider family. You can't pull this card when something goes wrong."

"Oh, but I can, and I will." Kid's trust among others had slowly disintegrated ever since Medusa infiltrated Shibusen. He did put a lot of faith into his squad. There was no way that he would let a petty thing like this interfere with how he interacted with his teammates. BlackStar on the other hand, he had no promises for him. There was no telling what that boy would do or say. "I'm sure you understand, don't you, Liz? How those boys take advantage of the beautiful girl you are? You're one of a kind, and nobody understands. You and Patty are just abandoned angels. Don't worry," his eyes narrowed, "I won't let anybody hurt you again."

Liz wasn't sure if she should be terrified or comforted. She knew that being Kid's weapon would come with reassuring him about humans and informing him of things. Though, he's never talked like this. He's never had such distaste. "What you're spewing is complete bullshit." Her voice, her demeter was brand new. The soft voice that was once being spoken with was now long gone. How could he think like that? After all of his experiences with his friends? "I knew this affected you more than you let on. You can't let yourself build up these high walls because somebody hurt you. Just because the last one hurt you doesn't mean the next one will. I think you're just in that delusional state- and I don't blame you." Now, her eyes were the intimidating ones. Her jaw was tight, her eyes narrowed to show that she was beyond pissed about what he had to say. "Quit thinking so selfish, Kid. That isn't who you are."

Was he selfish? Even though half of him was the same, the other was still what kept him from being one of them. Maybe, one of his biggest fears was being different.

"You're right. I'll quit thinking that way."

The gang earned access to a treatment center. Since local hospitals couldn't afford to have patients getting even sicker than what they were, the treatment center was a shadier building on what seemed like the wrong side of town. The day was dull, clouds rolling in as if it wanted to storm. Kid was confident that the temperature dropping wasn't a good sign.

"Sebastian is getting our gear." Ciel turned to the three, looking bored of the situation. "We are entering a place that reeks of infection, just in case you forgot. Do not take these off until we leave. No matter what anybody says to you. Do you understand?"

The three nodded, Patty, humming a soft tune. Was bringing her here the best option? Well, she would destroy the Manor if left alone. Once the demon returned, he gave each person their own gear. Kid wasn't too fond of the helmet-like attire for the head to prevent inhaling any bacteria. It was homely. No matter, he found himself putting it on along with the other ridiculous gear. It could almost be compared to what an astronaut wears. The Death God and the two weapons looked at each other, seeming not to recognize one another. This was seriously a bigger mission than they had initially planned.

"Let's go," Ciel commanded him and the butler who was now geared up leading them into the horrid building. Maybe, it was that the building was older than time (at least that's what it looked like) or perhaps it was that sick people were in it. Anyway, a heavyweight compressed itself onto Kid as he entered. Before he could even think about using his Soul Perception to get a good look at everything, Ciel cut him off.

"The building is separated by the stages of sickness. It goes from one to five. I'm sure that you're smart enough to figure out the order." He pointed to the door that led to section one. "We will be going in order. Come with me."

Kid nodded, making sure the girls were behind him before entering the first section. This hospital was eerie. Even though Kid was convinced that there was a paranormal presence here, his heart couldn't help but drop when he saw mostly children in this room part. Their rooms didn't have doors, only empty doorways that revealed each room. Since they had run out of places due to its small capacity, two or three shared a room.

Entering the first tiny room, the Shinigami assumed that these two children were siblings. The first had long, sapphire blue hair that went to her ankles. Her eyes were duo-colored, one matching her hair while the other was lime green. Her eyes were definite, they looked like they carried a sassy soul. Her brother, on the other hand, seemed a bit sicker than she did. He was coughing tremendously and looked malnourished. Did Kid really have the heart to pester children?

Ciel gazed back at the newcomers. "It always starts with common cold symptoms. When parents find their children developing rashes, it is mandatory that they're sent here. It seems as if these two had just recently gotten sick."

Liz looked like she was ready to start bawling. Imagining that being her and her little sister could damage anybody's heart. It made anyone sick seeing children that were guaranteed death. This wasn't fair to them nor anybody. "Hello," she said softly, offering a gentle smile.

The boy put his hand to his ear to signify that he could not hear her. His sister nudged him. "She said hello." Her voice was high enough to be yelling. Her brother finally seemed to catch on, nodding and waving.

"Was this child always mute?" Kid questioned Ciel and his demon companion.

Sebastian looked through the paperwork that he gained before Kid could even bat an eye. The eldest demon was someone that the reaper should be keeping a good eye on. His father may trust him, but Kid sure as hell didn't. "Well, he isn't completely mute.." Sebastian responded. "It seems as if his hearing had recently numbed to almost nothing. How eerie."

The children looked about seven, somewhere in that range. Kid took it upon himself to kneel down to the girl's level, lightly taking her rashed arm. Some of her rashing had turned black, the reaper assuming that there was also bleeding under her skin. "How do you feel today?" he questioned, keeping his voice smooth to not intimidate the young one before him.

"There's a lump on the back of my neck, yeah?" Taking note, Kid decided to let go of her arm and lift her hair to see what she was talking about. Sure enough, there was a swollen lymph node. Lightly touching it, Kid kept taking mental notes. It was soft, warm to the touch. He was surprised that it didn't burst.

"How about your abdomen?" he asked.

The girl put her hands on her stomach as if she didn't want Kid to see. "My tummy hurts at night, sometimes. I throw up." Sebastian wrote that down. "Bubby hasn't been able to hear real well."

Kid's eyes averted to the brother. "Is that 'Bubby'?"

"Mhm."

Nodding, the Shinigami stood up. There was no need to harass these children into hating his presence. If he checked up on them continuously, they should just tell him what hurts when it hurts. Kid knew that it was like children to just babble on about things. "I'll be back in a day or two to check up on you."

The young girl ran her hands through her hair, looking at the ground. It was as if she had already lost will. When her hair finally detangled from her hair, Kid's heart dropped.

Noticeable bald spots could be seen; it was hard to swallow. Kid couldn't tell if she pulled her hair out or if it just fell. Either way, there needed to be a reason for her to live.

These kids will not die on him. Not if he's the one behind this mission. Just when Kiddo thought that they could move on, Liz spoke.

"Where's Patty?" she asked quietly. Her face was red as if she was holding back tears. Kid had almost forgotten about his two weapons. When he looked back, and the young pistol was nowhere to be found, his heart raced in anxiety.

She couldn't be too far, right?

"Hi," Patty greeted a girl laying almost dead on her bed. The weapon managed to get her attention, ice blue eyes slowly moving to glance at her. Patty was currently in the stage five section all by herself, the gang failing to keep a proper watch on her. The girl she was talking to was no doubt at the brink of death. Her fingertips were utterly black, her skin covered in rashes and scratches. It looked like the jet black hair that was once vibrant in both color and volume was falling out. Her breathing was labored, her eyes turning a lifeless gray. She didn't have much longer on this cruel earth.

"Hi," she gasped, not quite understanding why a girl so young was in her room. "...Are you lost?"

Patty giggled. "Nope!" she sang, not seeming to care that she was facing a dead girl. "I saw you just laying over here lookin' all lonely 'n stuff. You looked like you needed a friend."

Even in misery, this girl couldn't help but smile at the innocence that radiated from Patty's existence. "Maybe."

The voice she was blessed with was almost gone. It was as if Patty knew she couldn't speak as much to her, but chose to talk to her as if she was anybody else, anyway. "Why're you here?" she asked, seemingly interested in this girl's story. "I'm here 'cos I'm on a mission to find a cure for you! We were sent here from Death City. Do you know where that is?"

Shibusen finally stepped up on the scene? It was about time. "Yes, I do." She had to take a couple of breaths before continuing her sentence. "Well, my best friend and I..." The unknown girl started coughing dramatically. Patty was unsure of what to do, it seemed like waiting was the best option. When she was done, she continued. "We both got sick together. She's been gone for a long time, though."

She was trying her best to get her story though. Her throat was so dry that it was hard to speak correctly. Either way, Patty seemed to understand. "My big sis is my best friend."

The stranger nodded. "Without her... I don't want to be alive."

Patty seemed to feel her pain. Taking off the glove that kept her skin protected from the disease, she raised her pinky for a pinky promise. "Then I'll be your best friend. I'll make you want to be alive."

Without thinking, tried to raise her arm up to meet the gesture. When she couldn't, Patty brought her hand to her. The two locked fingers, the weapon happened to be attached to her already. It didn't last long, Kid soon breaking the silence.

"Patty! Where did you go?!"

"Coming!" Patty called, quickly putting her glove back on. She grinned at her new friend. "If Kiddo knew that I took this off, I would be in big trouble." Putting her finger to her lips for a quiet gesture, she winked. "Don't tell no one, okay? You promise you won't?"

"I swear."


End file.
